The Midnight Game

Yesterday, while looking through my e-mail, I found a piece of spam that was different then the rest. It was simply titled "Game". It had none of the overly obnoxious qualities that the other junk mail had. I guess that might be the reason why I clicked on it. And I'll tell you, I would give anything to go back and stop myself from clicking it, even my life. The e-mail had one attachment, and one sentence at the top. "Why don't you play?" The image is the one I attached to this post. At first I thought it was just someone trying to fuck with me for shits and giggles, but as I read the instructions I realized that whoever sent me this did so with the knowledge that I was bored enough with my life to play it. God how I wish I didn't open that damn e-mail.

As I read through the instructions, I checked the time. It was 8 pm. I had 4 hours to gather the necessary ingredients and start the ritual. However there were two problems. My door wasn't made of wood, and I was taking care of my two-year younger brother. I showed him the e-mail, and the picture. Being the thrill seeker that he is he immediately agreed. Now that one problem was taken care of, we had the other matter to attend to. Where would we find a place we could use with a wooden door that was big enough? My brother recommended using a hotel, but it conflicted with the rules. It was then that I remember the old school that was closed down due to the massive strike by the teachers some years ago. It was big, and it was one of the old retro schools with the wooden doors. They obviously didn't care enough about the kids there. Before we left, I called my girlfriend and told her I was going to be out the whole day, and that I would call her later. It was then that she told me something I wouldn't understand until much later. "Don't let him run." I questioned her about what it meant, but she acted as if she didn't realize what she had just said. I brushed it aside and grabbed my wallet and keys from the counter top. Before we left I printed out the rules and made a list of what we needed to buy. Looking over at my brother I saw him staring at the rules intently. For a second I thought maybe it was a bad idea to do this with him, but I ignored it and proceeded. How stupid I was.

We were on our way to collect the ingredients when who should we meet in the store, but my girlfriend, Amy? At first I tried to sneak past her, but as usual my brother ruined it by shouting her name. She approached us, accompanied by her best friend Sarah and her boyfriend James. She asked me what I was doing there and why I had said I was going to be gone the whole day. Before I could make up a feasible lie, my brother blabbed out our plans while showing off the rules. I wanted to strangle him so badly at that moment. Amy looked over the paper and then to me. "You’re gonna do this? With your brother?" I assured her that it would be fine and we would be okay, but James had to interject. "Well why don't we do it too? It sounds like fun." Sarah was into the occult and stuff like this so she quickly jumped aboard. Amy just stared at us with shock and fear. "I'll do it, but only because someone has to be sane in your group." I could tell she was mad at me, but for some reason I ignored her. We collected the materials needed for each person, paid them, and began our trip towards the school. It was 9:45 by the time we left, and I still thought this was a good idea. Fuck me.

En route to the school, my brother Ronny decided to re-read the rules out loud. Once he got down to the "DO NOT" section, James asked a question that was on my mind since I read them. "What happens if we accidentally break a rule?" Sarah explained that at most the spirit would be trapped inside the school, and at least it would just stay there for a couple of hours. I felt uneasy when she spoke. For some reason I had a horrible feeling that it was much worse than that. I should have listen to my gut. As soon as we arrived at the school everything started to go bad. The car just stopped at the front, Sarah tripped and cut her leg, leaving a large mark, and to top it off, James dropped his candle down into the river next to the school. That put a small dent in our plans, but Sarah said it would be fine if they shared a candle; no harm could come of it. Again there was that feeling in my gut that she was dead wrong, but if I had ignored all the other signs, what was the difference with this one? Sarah, James and Ronny decided to explore the school since we had about an hour left to kill before 12. I stayed near the entrance, getting everything else ready with Amy. I could tell she was still mad, but I tried to explain to her that it would all be fine. It was just a game. Oddly enough it felt like I was reassuring myself more that her. She told me she didn't feel right about doing this, but I told her once more that I would never let anything happen to her. By the time we were done it was 11:50. Ten minutes to show time. Everyone was in position. If I was any bit smart, or if I knew anything about what was to come, I would have stopped and left with Amy and Ronny, but I would have no such luck.

Our names and blood were on the papers, stationed at the front of the door. Since it had been abandoned for nearly three years the school had no power, it was completely dark. Slowly we each began to put our candles onto our respective papers. Amy was reluctant to do so, but I grabbed her hand and gave her a smile. She placed her candle onto her paper and readied her lighter. At 11:59 we each stood and walked to the front of the door. Hesitantly we began to knock on the door. At 12:00 we made it to twenty-two as soon as it turned twelve. They each quickly moved to their candles and I jumped towards the door. It seemed like forever until I gained enough courage, but in one fluid motion, I threw open the double doors. I felt the rush of cool night air and I jumped back towards my candle. I blew it out in sync with everyone else and together we stared at the door. I ran towards it and closed it speedily. I had almost forgotten. "RELIGHT THE CANDLE!" We each quickly re-lit our candles and I began to recall the next step. "Okay guys. Run around the school. Don't stop until 3:33! I'll call out when the time is-" I was interrupted by James screaming out. Something had just brushed pass him. I told him to be quiet, to stay calm. He didn't listen. He let go of Sarah's hand and ran off with the candle leaving Sarah in the darkness. She whimpered loudly and ran towards the direction that James fled towards. Amy took chase following her. I called out towards her. Unfortunately she didn't hear me. I looked around trying to get a good image of my surroundings when I realized something. "Ronny?" He was gone. I was alone completely. At that moment my candle died. I was drenched in the darkness. As I frantically re-lit my candle I clearly heard a low voice speak to me. "Enjoy the game. You'll be last."

I ran so quickly away from that area, I almost tripped over an overturned desk. It was then that I was beginning to understand just what I had done, and whom I had put into danger. I knew I had to go back and find my brother, and Amy, but I also knew I had to keep moving. I didn't stop running until I heard soft sobs coming from a room nearby. I knew it had to be someone, maybe one of the girls. As I closed in on the location, I heard something that made my heart stop and paralyzed my entire body. Someone screamed. I ran towards the room and as I entered I noticed someone's candle discarded on the floor. I called out into the room but no one answered. I shined the candle towards the back of the room and I saw a figure crouched down near the floor sobbing. "Hey its alright. I'm here." Upon closer examination I noticed who it was. "Ronny!" I tried to grab him but once I got within touching distance he jumped back and began to scream. I didn't understand what was happening to him. I tried to grab him, but my touches only seemed to send him into a greater frenzy. Finally he collapsed onto the floor, lying there in a broken heap. I noticed that in his panic attack he dropped the rules. I looked over them again, understanding what was happening to him. "You’re locked in your greatest nightmare. I'm so sorry Ronny." Before I could help him I noticed something. My light source had started to increase. That was impossible. Unless..."Oh fuck. Someone's turning on lights."

I ran out of the room quickly. In my haste I almost collided with Amy. She was also trying to figure out who was turning on lights. We both quickly ran towards the source of the lights and the source of the schools power, the generator box. As we approached we saw Sarah arguing with a terrified James. "You can't turn on lights! It's against the rules!" "FUCK RULES. YOU WANT TO DIE HERE? THIS IS SHIT." He laid his eyes on me and began to advance towards me menacingly. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT ASSHOLE." "YOUR THE ONE WHO WANTED TO DO THIS RETARD!" Before we got into a fist fight Amy stopped us. "Stop it! We just have to survive until 3:33! Fighting gets us nowhere!" I could tell that James was about to yell at her to shut up, when Sarah screamed. She pointed in the direction where we had just come from. "I saw something. It’s coming." She managed to choke out between sobs. Before I was able to turn James pushed me aside. "FUCK YOU WHATEVER THE HELL YOU ARE. YOU CAN'T DO SHIT TO ME. COME ON MOTHER FUCKER. TRY SOMETHING. TRY!" We tried to get James to shut his mouth, but he didn't listen. I reached out to try and restrain him, but it happened so quickly. One second he was in front of me, the next he was flying through the air. He hit the generator box with a sickening crack and we were flooded in absolute nothingness, our candles burnt out as well. Before we could react we heard a voice come from the ceiling. "You should have followed the rules."

Another scream followed and Amy began to shout. "SARAH! SARAH!" We were able to hear Sarah shout once more "NO PLEASE NO GOD NO! HELP!" Amy screamed her name once more. When no one responded I grabbed her and began to run in the opposite direction. I lit her candle again while she was crying "LET ME GO!" She pushed me into the wall and tried to run back but I grabbed her hand, trying to give her back her candle. She snapped her hand back, and in the shimmering light I saw her look at me with complete disgust. She fled back towards Sarah's previous location. I was about to follow when I felt my legs give out and the candle fall a few feet in front of me burning out once more. I reached out towards it trying to grab it all while attempting to call out to Amy. Another scream. 4 seconds left. I knew that I had no time, so I reached back into my bag and grabbed the salt. I was able to create the ring around me fast enough, even though it was sloppy. I felt stupid, alone, and afraid. I tried to call out once more, but this time a different voice answered. "She's gone. She broke a rule. She used another's blood. The others. The other two broke rules too. They’re gone. Only you." Before I could react I felt a heavy weight on myself, and my eyes began to sag. I knew what was happening. I stared once more into the cold darkness unable to see anything, until my eyes gave way and I shut down.

I awoke outside the school. Not where we first arrived, but behind it. I looked towards it to see the building was on fire. Fire trucks were parked outside and police were checking my car. The building had been completely enveloped by flames. "Ronny." By just looking at the school I knew. He was dead. Amy, Sarah, and James were, too. What the fuck did I do? I looked down at my feet in shame and disgust, only to find a sheet of paper. My paper. It still had my blood and my name. I flipped the paper over and noticed writing on the back. It wasn't mine. "You broke a rule. You’re next. But I want fun. I chase you everywhere. I make everyone you meet gone. You last." I fell onto the floor. People I loved had died, and for what? The game wasn't over. 3:33 am was a lie. He decides when the game is over. No one else does.

So here I am. Alone. I can't go home because he'll find me. He always finds me. I can't go for help. He murders those who I meet, even if I don't ask for help. If I make contact, he stalks them until the die. It’s my fault. I'm forced to be alone. If you see me in the street, hungry, alone, and afraid, don't feel pity on me. Don't approach me. Run. Fast. Before I get you wrapped up in this. Before the Midnight Man finds you.

(This goes with the Midnight Game instructions I posted earlier)